Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-06
State AFFAIRS.
The Bill Creating Ross County Fails
to Receive the Necessary Two
Thirds Vote in the House.
Tie Senate Willis Committee to Use
as Much of the Testimony Taken
by the House as Possible.
Important Ruling from the ComptroIIer's
Office in Regard to the Enforced
Collection of Taxes
THE COLLECTION OF FINES.

THE COLLECTION OF FINES.
Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, TEX, March "a lively
argument arose in the Senate this morn
ing over the bill to make officers crimi-
naIly responsible for the collection of
fines in misdemeaDor cases. Some of the
Senator's took the position that under the
present system it was the universal
practice for the officers of the state to
show Partially in the collection of fines,
and that q great deal of the revenue
Justly belonging to the counties was lost
by reason OF this favoritism. Alter
adopting several amendments the bill was
killed by striking out the enacting clause.
AFUGITIvE LIST.
4 bill requiring the sherlffs to report
to the AGjutant- General within thirty days
after the close of terms of District courts
8 list OF all persons who, after Indictment
for felony, have fed from the county, was
discussed in the Senate to-day. An
amendment was also adopted to make it
also obligatory upon them to state the
name OF the offense. Senator Bell, who
offered the amendment, said the object
was 10 help the sheriffs perfect the fugi-
tive list That they had agreed at con-
veution held by them should be published
at their own expense for mutual assist
anCe IN capturing criminals. The aTerd-
ment was adopted and the bill engrosSed.
ROSS COUNTY.
The fight over the creation of Ross
county came up in the House again this
morning n the final passage of the bill.
This measure, though local, has been the
Cause OF more heated debate than any
bill Oi equal importance that has yet
come before the Lower House. The men,
5els from the old counties, McLeunau
and Limestone, made a strong fight
against its passage, while the advocates
for its passage were equally persistent in
their support. The bill, failing to re
Ceive the necessary two-t1irds vote, was
lost.
GONE HOME.
Speaker Pendleton bas gone home on q
short visit, and Mr. Alexander has been
elected speaker pro tempore, and will
preside until his return.
INSURANCE COMPANIES.
Up TO date, seventy two insurance stock
companies have filed papers in the office
Of the Commissioner Of Insurance, Sta
tistics and History for S57 Two doing
business IN the state haye Withdrawn,
and three new ones have entered this
ye.r.
ELECTION IN THE SECOND DISTRICT.
The Secretary Of the State to-day sent
out printed copies to be posted giving
Official notice of the election to be held
I in the Second Congressional district on
April 4, 1887, to I'LL the vacancy made
by the resignation Of Hon. John II. Rea-
gan.
CGMPTROLLER'S RULING.
Regarding the law regulating the liza
blIity of personal and real property sub
ject TO levy for taxes of the owners
thereof, the Comptroller rules that
while the law makes no discrimina
ton as to which shall be levied
on first, the department will
rot advise collectors to levy on lands
when levy can be made on suflicienCy
Of personal property to satisfy the de
| linquent taxes. The department instructs
the collectors on t is subject to make
every reasonable effort to enforce the
payment of delinquent taxes by first levy
ing on personal properly that may be
found in their cOuuties before IevVing on
real property, only levying On real prop
erty when necessity requires it, such ad-
visOTy action of the department being
deemed proper on the grounds of public
policy.
TO USE THE SAME TESTIMONY.
The Senate special commi lee in the
Judge Willis case met to-day, and sub
mitted proposition to the counsel, ask
ing them to agree to as much of the testi-
mony taken by the House as possible, to
obviate the sending for any more wit
| nesses than is absolutely necessary.